Nick Ames meets Andrew Hughes who grew up in Dubai as the city expanded – and always knew it was the place he wanted to work.

Growing up in Dubai, where he lived for the formative years of his life, Andrew Hughes, 27, had a first- hand look at the development of a city.

And after graduating with a degree in architectural engineering from Cardiff University in the UK he had no doubts where he eventually wanted to work.

Advertisement

“I knew it was Dubai,” he said. “I was working on some really interesting projects in Vancouver, Canada and Bavaria in Germany but I always felt I was missing out, I still had so much interest in Dubai and how it was developing.

“So as soon as the chance came I moved back to set up my own company.”

Pumpkin Architectural Design, “the name was inspired by a seed which grows organically”, currently has four registered architects on its staff with Hughes at the helm.

Current projects include villas and a range of other residential designs across Dubai.

“Growing up here has given me a passion for Dubai and while in Germany I worked on projects which focused on sustainability. Now I want to combine the two,” said Hughes.

“I want to take those values and bring ecologically aware design to the private villas I am currently working on. Buildings themselves can generate their own energy and power an that is something I am very passionate about including in my designs.

“What I love about working here is how inspiring the decision making process is. If people want to do things then they get done.

“The people who have the power to make things happen really do want to. That makes it a great place for an architect to be.”

Biography
Andrew Hughes was born in Salisbury, UK, but he moved to Dubai at an early age when his father took a job with an IT company. He then spent his schooldays in the UAE. He said he always wanted to undertake his further education back in Britain so he went to Cardiff University in Wales where he obtained
his degree.